The invention relates generally to the field of portable engine-driven generators. More specifically, the inventions relates to a remote drain and filter arrangement that is used for an engine-driven generator or an engine-driven welder.
Portable engine-driven generators are commonly used to provide electrical power in locations where conventional electrical power is not readily available. Both gasoline and diesel engines are used to drive such generators, and the power produced is typically either 120 VAC or 240 VAC. One specific generator application is for welding processes and these units are commonly known as portable engine-driven welders. These units include a control system to regulate the power produced by the generator thereby making it suitable for an arc welding operation. Typical welding operations for which these units are intended include stick electrode welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, or plasma torch cutting.
One issue with engine-driven generators and engine-driven welders relates to their weight and the positioning of the unit in order to perform routine oil changes and other engine maintenance. These units are relatively heavy, some weighing over 500 pounds, and are typically mounted in a truck bed or other motor vehicle making them more transportable. Given that space is limited in these vehicles, the unit usually is placed adjacent to the cab of the vehicle and/or surrounded by permanently mounted tool boxes or other built-in structures of the vehicle. Moreover, the engine and generator are typically fully enclosed by an enclosure and servicing the engine becomes difficult because direct access is at best very limited. Such systems are fully enclosed for several reasons, such as to protect the engine and generator form dust, debris, and rough handling. Also, the enclosure reduces noise and helps to cool the engine by preventing hot air recirculation when the welder is placed in service. All of these benefits lead to longer component and engine life. In short, the benefits provided by full enclosure far outweigh the current inconveniencies of servicing the engine in these space constrained environments.
However, engine maintenance is critical to engine performance and is a task that must be performed at regular intervals. Given the required regularity of the engine maintenance, the current inconveniencies of performing engine service can become a major issue for the user. Currently, access to the serviceable components is often gained through a removable panel located in a side wall of the enclosure. As alluded to above, the location of this panel is often blocked by nearby tool boxes or other structures. In this situation, the user is required to relocate or reposition the unit in order to gain access to the serviceable components via the removable panel. Given the weight of the unit, this can be a very time consuming and arduous task. While certain facilities have been provided by the ability to relocate oil filter and drain locations within the enclosure, even these do not alleviate the need to access the interior via panels and the like.
Thus, there is a need for quickly and easily accessing serviceable engine components in portable generators and welders without requiring relocation or repositioning of the unit. This would not only save time and money but would have a secondary effect of promoting regular maintenance by reducing the difficulty in performing the service. Furthermore, it would be advantageous if the serviceable components could be positioned so that they did not increase the space or volume occupied by the unit. Finally, it would be very beneficial to provide such access in a kit that is retrofittable to current engine-driven welders and engine-driven generators.